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Topic: Etiquette of being sick at work (Read 4334 times)

</bg> I work for a company that has some, but not much, sick paid time. It's the beginning of the year, and I have the time, so that's not the issue - although I am hesitant to use it frivolously, as I have run out in previous years. Also, I've got two (of the four on my team) colleagues that have been seriously sick - both with pneumonia, one for only a couple of days, one that's been out for almost two weeks. </end bg>

I'm getting sick. It's of course the worst possible time - HUGE meeting, all day, tomorrow, and I'll be closed up with my team in small conference rooms all day. I don't exactly feel awful at the moment - back a little achy, running nose, a little cough - but it's getting exponentially worse (two days ago it was a couple of sneezes, yesterday a little sore throat from drainage and now I'm breathing through my mouth almost exclusively). I don't want to, and really can't, miss tomorrow. Assuming I'm not just so sick I can't get out of bed tomorrow (I would have to be REALLY SICK to miss tomorrow - like, nearly hospital sick), what is the etiquette of being stuck in a conference room with five men (I'm the only woman on the team) and being sick? Do I have to step out to (discreetly) blow my nose? Is bringing the whole box of Kleenex to the conference room a bad idea?

This is half tongue in cheek - both because I know I'll muddle through, and because I do work with an all male team and they are SO not ashamed of their bodily functions and such - not frat boys, but if they need to go use the bathroom, they carry the paper with them, that kind of thing. I would be really curious as to how others handle it, though - I really, really can't miss tomorrow's all day meeting.

Schedule your meds so they'll kick in before your meeting. Bring a small pack (like a purse pack) of kleenex for dabbing and covering sneezes/coughs, step out to blow, and bring cup of hot tea, and some cough drops. Position yourself close to the door for minimum disruption.

Also, this is going to be dependent on your familiarity with these guys and your office environment in general, but at my office it wouldn't be out of line to wear a disposable mask if I was coughing.

Sadly, no - we're making a much-overdue map of all our tools and systems, and will spend the day mucking about with markers and large sheets of paper. Not a teleconference-friendly day. I can, normally, work from home a bit, but tomorrow it's right out as an option.

If you are expecting to have to share papers, markers, etc, it would be a good idea to bring hand sanitizer too.

We're dealing with this at my work too: lots of people are working from home, or are out sick altogether, and people running out of sick time who can't work from home are coming in. I've been in all three categories since work resumed this year - when I have to be in the office, I keep the hand sanitizer conspicuously located and excuse myself if I have to blow my nose. It's unpleasant but basically unavoidable this time of year.

Schedule your meds so they'll kick in before your meeting. Bring a small pack (like a purse pack) of kleenex for dabbing and covering sneezes/coughs, step out to blow, and bring cup of hot tea, and some cough drops. Position yourself close to the door for minimum disruption.

I agree with the above. I think this is the best way to handle the situation.

Add to your "supplies" some kind of bag (brown lunch bag? zip-lock?) that you can keep on your lap, next to you on the chair, or somehow discretely tucked away to dispose of the used tissues.

eta: with the sharing of markers . . . can you get your own set that doesn't need to be passed around? You can push papers around on the table using a tissue.

I'm jealous. I had bronchitis the entire month of January, along with a sinus infection.

OP, as someone that was just thru this, I think my colleagues were appreciative of being aware of their presence and trying to minimize their exposure. If the conference room is large enough, sit a couple seats away. Bring a whole box if tissues and a bag to dispose of them (to keep them out of sight) if leaving every time you need to blow isn't an option. Bring hand sanitizer / Clorox wipes.

Thanks, everyone. I'll be siting far away from everyone, as much as possible, and leaving at intervals to honk. Thankfully, I'll likely be the 'recorder' of a lot of data, not drawing on the board so much, so I can minimize their exposure that way, and hopefully can finagle it so I'm next to the trash can so I can toss any errant tissues or cough drop wrappers.

Luckily, my boss is both awesome and understanding - and just thankful that I'm HERE and not at home, so he'll put up with nearly anything. Our fifth team member, who likely gave me this crud, has been out for two weeks and counting.

Been there. Should have been in bed but would have had to be in a coma to miss what was going on at work.

I was in a conference room with a thermos of tea, box of Kleenex, blanket from home wrapped around me (high fever) and a face-mask which we luckily have at this company. I got done what needed to get done and spent the entire weekend sleeping off a fever.

People understand that you're trying to help the company not be gross when you come in that sick.